JC Penney’s (JCP) shares have dropped today, though the selling pressure is nothing compared to what it has been recently. In fact, this feels more like a drift than anyone really placing big bets one way or the other.
BloombergBloomberg assesses the challenges facing the struggling retailer:
Now that�J.C. Penney Co.�Chief Executive Officer�Mike Ullman�has slowed the sales decline and amassed enough cash to fund two years of operations, he faces his biggest challenge since returning as CEO: a holiday season marked by price wars and penny-pinching consumers.
Analysts predict that U.S. retailers will discount heavily as they compete for shoppers concerned by joblessness and budget battles in Washington. While J.C. Penney has shored up its operations and finances, Macy�� Inc. (M) and�Kohl�� Corp. (KSS) can better afford to cut prices to drive traffic. If Ullman is forced to join the price war, he risks hurting profitability and burning cash at a faster than projected rate.
Top Defensive Companies To Buy Right Now: Mad Catz Interactive Inc(MCZ)
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. designs, manufactures, markets, sells, and distributes accessories for videogame platforms and personal computers (PC), as well as for iPod and other audio devices. Its products include videogame, PC, and audio accessories, such as control pads, video cables, steering wheels, joysticks, memory cards, light guns, flight sticks, dance pads, microphones, car adapters, carry cases, mice, keyboards, and headsets. It markets its products primarily under the Mad Catz, Saitek, Cyborg, Eclipse, Joytech, GameShark, Tritton, and AirDrives brands. The company also develops flight simulation software; operates flight simulation centers under its Saitek brand; operates a videogame content Website under its GameShark brand; publishes games under its Mad Catz brand; and distributes games and videogame products for third parties. It distributes its products through retailers in the United States, Europe, and Canada, as well as in Australia, Japan, Korea, New Zeal and, and Singapore. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego, California
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
If the name Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (NYSEMKT:MCZ) rings a bell, it might be because yours truly penned some bullish thoughts on the video-gaming hardware (joysticks, control pads, headsets, etc.) back on August 20th. Neither MCZ nor my write-up were received as anything partially special at the time - it was just another stock dissected by just another guy, and you may or may not have given it a second thought. The 37% rally in the meantime, however, may garner a little more attention.
5 Best Penny Stocks To Buy For 2014: Select Comfort Corporation(SCSS)
Select Comfort Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes adjustable-firmness beds and other sleep-related accessory products in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Australia. It offers its mattresses under the Sleep Number brand name. The company also provides a line of accessory bedding products, including specialty pillows, mattress pads, comforters, sheets, and leg options. Select Comfort Corporation distributes its products through retail, direct marketing, and e-commerce channels. As of January 2, 2010, it had 403 company-owned stores and 146 retail partner doors. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Lewis]
Ever-volatile premium mattress company�Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS ) delivered an earnings report this week that failed to impress the Street in a big way. The company missed its estimates on either end, suggesting that things were getting soft (punny, I know) in the mattress world. As a result, the stock took a near 10% hit in Wednesday's after-hours trading, and through into Thursday. Management, however, is sticking�to its full-year guidance, and did not find the missed estimates to be as terrible an issue. Does the stock drop create an opportunity for the company, or is the market a prophet of more difficulty to come?
- [By Dan Caplinger]
But Mattress Firm has to deal with competitors that are highly motivated to thwart its growth plans. On one hand, Tempur-Pedic's (NYSE: TPX ) now-completed acquisition of Sealy has broadened the former high-end mattress specialist's product line to cover more of the lower-end business that Mattress Firm has historically focused on. At the same time, Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS ) has managed to take over its primary competitor in the air-filled mattress market, giving it sole control of that segment of the overall mattress market.
- [By Peter Graham]
The Q2 2014 earnings report for mattress stock Select Comfort Corp (NASDAQ: SCSS), a potential peer or competitor of other mattress players like Mattress Firm Holding Corp (NASDAQ: MFRM) and Tempur Sealy International Inc (NYSE: TPX), is due out on Wednesday after the market closes. Aside from the Select Comfort Corp earnings report, it should be said that the estimated release date for the Mattress Firm Holding Corp Q2 2014 earnings report is the the week of September 4th while the estimated date for the Tempur Sealy International Inc Q2 2014 earnings report is the week of July 21st. And while the last earnings report from Select Comfort Corp did not cause shares to move much, shares plunged 19% in January as�preliminary fourth quarter results reignited concerns over growth going forward. This came after a 25% plunge after an October earnings report�badly missed expectations.
5 Best Penny Stocks To Buy For 2014: The Hackett Group Inc.(HCKT)
The Hackett Group, Inc. operates as a strategic advisory and technology consulting firm primarily in the United States and western Europe. The company offers executive advisory programs, benchmarking, business transformation, and technology consulting services, as well as shared services, offshoring, and outsourcing advice. Its executive advisory programs consists of advisor inquiry, an inquiry service used by clients for access to fact-based advice on proven approaches and methods to increase the effectiveness of selling, general, and administrative processes (SG&A); best practice research, a research that provides insights into the proven approaches in use at organizations; peer interaction program comprising member-led Webcasts, annual Best Practice Conferences, annual Member Forums, membership performance surveys, and client-submitted content; and best practice intelligence center, an online, searchable repository of practices, performance metrics, conference presentat ions, and associated research. The company?s bench marking services conduct studies in the areas of SG&A, finance, human resources, information technology, procurement, enterprise performance management, shared service centers, and working capital management. These services are used by clients to establish priorities, generate organizational consensus, align compensation to establish performance goals, and develop the required business case for business and technology investments. Its business transformation programs help clients to develop coordinated strategy for achieving performance improvements across the enterprise; and Hackett Technology Solutions help clients choose and deploy the software applications that meet their needs and objectives. The company was formerly known as Answerthink, Inc. and changed its name to The Hackett Group, Inc. in January 2008. The Hackett Group, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By ValueArtifex]
One such situation currently in the process of unfolding this month is a Dutch Tender by The Hackett Group (HCKT). I will briefly discuss the underlying business, what exactly a Dutch Auction (or in this case, a Tender) is, what options investors have when approaching this situation and how it could play out.
5 Best Penny Stocks To Buy For 2014: PostRock Energy Corporation(PSTR)
PostRock Energy Corporation, an integrated independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and transportation of oil and natural gas in the United States. It operates in two segments, Oil and Gas Production, and Natural Gas Pipelines. The Oil and Gas Production segment primarily focuses on the development of coal bed methane in the Cherokee basin and the Marcellus Shale in Appalachian Basin, as well as has oil properties in Central Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2009, it had approximately 51.9 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe) of estimated net proved reserves; development rights to approximately 516,184 net acres; and operated approximately 2,849 gross wells in the Cherokee Basin. It also had approximately 44,507 net acres of oil and natural gas producing properties with estimated proved reserves of 18.9 Bcfe and approximately 498 gross wells in Appalachian Basin; and had 65 gross wells, development rights to approximately 1,4 80 net acres, and estimated net proved reserves, 3.9 Bcfe in Central Oklahoma. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment involves in transporting, gathering, treating, and processing natural gas. It owns and operates a natural gas gathering pipeline networks of approximately 2,173 miles in the Cherokee Basin and 183 miles in the Appalachian Basin; and a 1,120 mile interstate natural gas pipeline, which transports natural gas from northern Oklahoma and western Kansas to the metropolitan Wichita and Kansas City markets. The company is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
LeBlanc is a veteran energy industry CFO. He has filled that role at East Resources -- now a unit of Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A ) -- as well as�PostRock Energy (NASDAQ: PSTR ) , and Range Resources, among others.
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